Zetsche: Daimler-Chrysler deal made 'substantial' loss

17 February 2014 Last updated at 15:31 GMT

Dr Dieter Zetsche is chairman of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. He was instrumental in a disastrous merger between Daimler and US company Chrysler that ended in huge losses for the company.

He told HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur that with hindsight it was obvious the tie-up did not create any value and as soon as the problems became clear he had initiated a separation between the two companies. The two companies merged in in 1998, split up in 2007 and then in 2009 Chrysler filed for bankruptcy.